Hand tool for spreading legs of a workpiece



Au .-29, 19,67 I w..D. M GAHEE 3,333,113

HAND TOOL FOR SPREADING LEGS OF A WORKPIECE Filed Jun, 1, 1966 F/GZ' F/6.3.

INVENTOR WELBOURNE D. MCGAHEE ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,3381 18 Patented Aug. 29, 1967 3,338,118 HAND TOOL FOR SPREADING LEGS OF A WORKPIECE Welbourne D. McGahee, Eau-Gallie, Fla., assignor of one-fourth to William R. Maddux, Miami, Fla. Filed June 1, 1966, Ser. No. 554,568 7 Claims. (Cl. 81-3) This invention relates to hand tools and more particularly to a hand tool positionable between the thumb and forefinger of a user for Opening the angle of deformable or spring-like members bent in a generally U-shaped fashion. In practice it is often necessary to utilize the teeth or tips of fingers for grasping workpieces or the like while spreading the angle between bent elements such as hairpins, staples, clips, and such fasteners.

A particularly harmful and unsanitary practice is the generally widespread custom of women to use their teeth for opening hairpins while fixing their hair. The necessity for this is that no other convenient way has been found to open a hairpin while at the same time permitting the use of the hands for holding, curling or arranging the hair. Thus most women who use hairpins in fixing their hair use their teeth to open the pins. As the hairpins are generally reused and seldom cleaned in any way there is a danger of passing germs, and other contaminants into the mouth. Also there is the possibility of chipping and/ or scratching the teeth.

Therefore an object of this invention is to provide a device that may be easily held in the hand of a user without restricting the free use of the fingers of the hand and which provides an accessible edge for opening or spreading elements such as hairpins, clips, and other fasteners.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will become readily appreciated from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial representation of the tool held in operating position;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the tool of FIG- URE 1 turned ninety degrees in relation thereto; and

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the device.

Referring now to the drawing, the tool generally designated numeral 11 is formed of molded plastic or other suitable material and is shown in FIGURE 1 in position for use between the thumb and forefinger. The tool is held in the attitude depicted for performing the operation of opening or spreading the ends of a hairpin 12 which is termed a bobby pin. A bobby pin is normally sprung together at its ends or reasonably close thereto as shown and is used to position and hold the hair.

As best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the tool 11 is shaped at its sides 13 to conform to the shape of the human forefinger and thumb at their intersection when partially closed on one another. The tool 11 has a front 14 provided with an edge 15 which lies in a plane cutting through the back and front of the tool and along its middle. The bottom 16 and the top 17 are curved inwardly toward their centers from their common edges 18 and 19.

The edge 15 is slightly curved inwardly, FIGURE 1, and taken with the concave bottom 16 and top 17 a wedge is formed. By forcing a bobby pin toward the intersection of the thumb and forefinger onto the edge 15 of the wedge-shaped tool 11, the legs of the pin are spaced apart as they are guided within the concavities of the top and bottom of the tool formed by the curved surfaces 16 and 17.

In the embodiment shown the operating edge 15 on the wedge formed by the curved surfaces 16 and 17 lies in a plane extending transverse to the curved and opposing sides 13. The sides 13 are contoured to provide a grip for the base of the thumb and forefinger permitting free use of the fingers for curling, holding and positioning the hair while at the same time providing an operative wedge over which the hairpins can easily be opened. The tool may be used either in the left or right hand and the edge 15 disposed at any desired angle relative to the sides 13 as determined by the type of fastener to be opened and the operative position of the hand and fingers. Also the tool 11 may be formed to provide an operative edge 15 that projects outwardly above the thumb and forefinger or inwardly toward the palm of the hand any desired distance rather than to extend between the thumb and forefinger as shown.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown in detail, numerous changes and modifications may be made within the principles of the invention which is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hand tool for insertion between the intersection of the human forefinger and thumb and held between the bases of the forefinger and thumb while permitting these fingers to be free to manipulate and close at the tips comprising: an integrally formed and curved body corresponding to the configuration of the juncture of the thumb and forefinger providing gripping surfaces for the base of said thumb and said forefinger, said body further including surfaces tapering to an edge defining a wedge facing outwardly for spreading legs of a Workpiece apart as the workpiece is advanced on the Wedge.

2. A hand tool as in claim 1 wherein the wedge has its top and bottom meeting at said edge with the top and bottom being concaved inwardly to form guide channels for directing the legs of a U-shaped workpiece in the channels as the legs are spread apart by advancing the legs over the edge, one leg being received on the top and other on the bottom of said Wedge.

3. A hand tool as in claim 1 wherein the wedge sides are shaped to conform to the shape of the thumb and forefinger intersection when partially closed.

4. A hand tool as defined in claim 1 wherein an operative edge of said wedge extends substantially transversely between said thumb and forefinger when said tool is held in an operative position.

5. A hand tool as defined in claim 1 wherein an operative edge of said wedge lies in a plane extending angularly between said thumb and forefinger.

6. A hand tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said wedge projects outwardly from said body and from said thumb and forefinger.

7. A hand tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said wedge projects inwardly from said body and toward the palm of said hand.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,544,595 3/1951 Haase l32--1 OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HAND TOOL FOR INSERTION BETWEEN THE INTERSECTION OF THE HUMAN FOREFINGER AND THUMB AND HELD BETWEEN THE BASES OF THE FOREFINGER AND THUMB WHILE PERMITTING THESE FINGERS TO BE FREE TO MANIPULATE AND CLOSE AT THE TIPS COMPRISING: AN INTEGRALLY FORMED AND CURVED BODY CORRESPONDING TO THE CONFIGURATION OF THE JUNCTURE OF THE THUMB AND FOREFINGER PROVIDING GRIPPING SURFACES FOR THE BASE OF SAID THUMB AND SAID FOREFINGER, SAID BODY FURTHER INCLUDING SURFACES TAPERING TO AN EDGE DEFINING 